The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-09-14
THE CLEVELAND TALK,
Extract From Recent Interview With the
President.
ballard Smith in New York World

=
President.
ballard Smith in New York World.
MIDNIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
The well-known "seal browns III think
they were-had brought US into the city
by full fifteen minutes better time than
had made going out. In reply to a wish
expressed on the way to see the White
House at night, the President said that he
had imperative work for an hour or two,
but that / would find him somewhat at
leisure about midnight. 1t was nearly
that hour when l did find him at the
desk in his Office on the second Soor of the
White House, hard at work with a pile OF
papers before him, and secretary at inter-
walls taking papers away as they were dis
posed of and adding to those before him.
At the main door l had found the alert
Edwards disposed to bar my way to the
President and evidently doubtful of any
permission to disturb him at his LAHORE.
Another messenger, apparently worn out,
was taking midnight nap IN a chair by
the inner door. In the reception room
were several secretaries hard at it and with
seemingly nights work before them.
The President had big parchment on
the desk and was studying it closely.
learned that it was an appointment which
had iust been made out. He had Just
signed another of like portentous fashion,
which the secretary held in his hand
while waiting to take away the other. But
the President turned 1t over on its face and
said, ST must consider that little
further"
Then he turned to me and said: ''This
has been the room which has witnessed
very many trials and perplexities, but I
feel that 1t has been, too, the scene in
which very great improvement has been
made in civil service ideas. In the first
months in the first year and a half of my
administration, the same battle was fought
day after day. Men came here by the
hundred-by the thousand-each company
filling the room and empty1ng it only to
make way for another throng, and there
was always the same formula; 4 have
come Mr.. President, to ask that be re-
moved The reasonP / would say.
why, he is a Republican, would be the
uniform answer. This, repeated over and
over and over again in each successive case
with seemingly hopeless iteration. / had
always-I could have-but the same an
swer. You must bring me proof CT bis un-
fitness as a public officer I understood
very we'll their inability to comprehend
this. Knowing very well the processes
which had obtained here for so many
years 1 could but sympathize with their
inability. 1 have expressed this. perhaps,
more clearly in letter which wrote on
this subject Just TWO years ago.
1.-the success which thus far has attend
ed the work of civil service REFORM 1 said
in that letter, is largely due to the fact
that its practical friends have proceeded
upon the theory that real and healthy pro-
gress can only be made as such OF the peo-
pie who cherish pernicious, political ideas,
long tostered and encouraged by vicious
partisanship, are persuaded that the change
contemplated by the reform offers sub
IL s,ova hQnQf1to a
reasonable liberation of old preiudices, a
graceful recognition of every aid, sensi-
Bile utilization of every fundamentally
that promises assistance, and constant
effort to demonstrate the advantages OF the
new order of things, are the means by
which this reform movement will in the
future be further advanced, the opposition
of Incorrigible spoilsmen rendered inef-
| fectual, and the cause placed upon a sure
| foundation
"But now the formula is altogether
| changed. have not heard that expression
| for many months past. 1t is now, at the
outset of every application for a change:
| This man is unfit, faithless public ser.
| vans, and these are the reasons
| THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND CIVIL SERVICE
REFORM.
| ''Is not this very great deal to have
/ accomplished Is not this a sufficient
| answer, for the time that has interviewed,
I to those who may complain that more has
| not been accomplished? Harder than any
| thing to endure have been the imputations
| of personal friends in the party that have
| not regarded sufficiently their requests In
| making appointments. How could have
resisted the demands made upon me by
others IL yielded to the mere request oil
| one known to be near me in personal
frisndshipY They would have put me in
opposition to the very thing was trying
10 carry through. :.
"But it is wonderful thing for politi
cal party to have put aside the blindness
of craftsmanship. although at such apparent
disadvantage to 1t, and to have acquiesced
IN the new order of things, although so op
posed to previous political methods. Ii
sbat letter. which l have already referred
TO, this was fully pointed out. The sup
oort which has been given to the presen
administration in its efforts to preserve
| md advance this reform, by party fe
stored 10 power after an exclusion f0r map,